Hapag-Lloyd ship uses shore power in Oakland

Monday, December 03, 2012

Hapag-Lloyd said its ships are beginning to use shore power while docked at port in order to reduce pollution from ship engines.
The German carrier said "with the arrival of the Dallas Express in the Port of Oakland in California, last weekend, Hapag-Lloyd has for the first time connected one of its ships to shore-based power. Shore power (also known as “cold-ironing”) is a ship-to-shore connection that provides electrical power to the ship. By using this connection the auxiliary engines normally used to provide power on board can be switched off, reducing diesel and other air pollutant emissions from ships while they are at berth."
In California shore-based power will be mandatory for a certain percentage of ship calls by any particular shipping line from 2014. Hapag-Lloyd is already preparing 15 vessels for the high-voltage shore connection.
A 40-foot container is located at the stern of the 4,860-TEU vessel, containing electrical components and an extendable cable drum for the actual connection to the shore-based source. The drum automatically balances out tidal lift during lay time.
The special container has been jointly developed by Hapag-Lloyd and the Hamburg-based company SAM Electronics. The design can be used for the entire fleet, independent of shipboard voltage and the required power of a ship. In the event of a ship changing trade route, or maintenance of the container, the special containers can be swapped.